Children in critical condition after Costco crash

A witness gives a statement to police after five shoppers and the driver were sent to hospital after a car crashed through the entrance of the Costco Wholesale store on Wellington Road in London, Ontario on Friday, July 25, 2014. DEREK RUTTAN/QMI AGENCY

QMI AGENCY

LONDON, Ont. ─ Two little girls and a newborn remained in critical condition Saturday, a day after a horrifying crash left the entrance of a busy Costco store looking like a war zone.

Meanwhile, the driver of the red Monte Carlo that reversed through the doors of the London, Ont., store Friday and plowed into shoppers has been released from hospital, as have two other adults who were hurt, police said.

Police are still investigating the case and have not ruled out charges, though it does not appear as though the driver intentionally drove through the doors.

The condition of the mother, who had an emergency caesarian section after the crash, was upgraded to fair Saturday. But her daughters, 6 and 3, along with the newborn were all still in critical condition, police said.

Though police would not go into detail about the conditions of the little girls, a tribute set up inside Costco suggested the worst.

"RIP Addison," Were the words scrawled across a tag on one of several stuffed animals left at the scene with flowers.

In the centre of the tribute, a framed portrait of a sweet little girl with wide eyes captured the hearts of shoppers who walked through the doors.

Costco was open and bustling as usual Saturday, but it seemed all shoppers took a moment or two to reflect at the tribute, many of them holding their own children's hands, shaking their heads, swallowing hard.

By all accounts, witnesses to the crash said the 6-year-old girl had been in the worst shape Friday after the car came smashing through the doors of the busy store at noon.

Traffic officers were finished reconstruction at the scene, but were focusing on "how and why," it happened, police said.

They have not ruled out anything, including charges, but there is no evidence it was an "intentional act," police said. Investigators will also probe the possibility that the woman driving had a medical emergency or episode.

Witnesses to the crash told QMI Agency they heard the car revving as it drove in reverse between two pillar barriers, shattering through the glass doors and into the people. People went flying and shattered glass rained down into the store as the car was stopped when it crashed into a pole between the far set of doors.

In the aftermath, stunned shoppers stood in a daze around the cordoned off parking lot.

One woman said it looked "like a war zone," a description echoed by others after her.

In contrast Saturday, the entranceway had been cleaned up and the sliding glass doors replaced with temporary swing-out doors.

“Sweet family hit at Costco, we send hope and light,” read one note left at the scene.

“People are so sad,” said Costco employee Araam Wendy. “Some (staff) came in and had to leave today — they just couldn’t be here.

“A lot of us wanted the place closed to show respect,” Wendy said.

The store had opened one hour early, to make up for lost hours Friday, he said, adding some staff came to work but went home because they were too upset about the crash.